INVESTIGATION ON SOME ENGINEERING PROPERTIES OF SOIL FOUND IN GUMAYDE (SEGEN) TOWN

Abstract

The overall objective of this study was to investigate some engineering properties of soil found in Gumayde (Segen) town. To achieve this objective a total of twenty four samples were collected from eight representative sampling areas were selected from different parts of the study area. Disturbed and undisturbed samples were collected from this sampling area. The undisturbed samples were taken from th e test pits by sharp cutting at a depth of 5m for consolidation test, whereas disturbed samples were collec ted by manual excavation at 1.5, 3 and 5m depths. For all tests the procedures used for analysis were done using the usual test procedures which is not applicable for tropical soil. The natural moisture content of soil in the study area was varies from 29.12-41.69 and its average specific gravity was 2.7-2.76. From grain size analysis test the clay soil content varies from 32.76-68.66%, silt soil varies from 17.14-43.21%, sand soil varies from 8.53-34.78% and gravel soil varies from 0 -5.84% the result showed that the dominant proportion of soil particle in the study area was clay. From the consistency limit test results, liquid limit is varies from 53.33-72.53%, plastic limit varies from 21.46-33.99% and plastic index ranges 23.5-53.82%. Compaction tests carried out on samples collected from the study area revealed that the maximum dry density (MDD) varies from 1.14-1.65 g/cm 3 and the optimum moisture content varies from 24-35%. The unconfined compressive strength of soil in Gumayed was varies from 108-284.1 kPaand the un-drained cohesion, Cu was 54-142.1kPa respectively for the pits.